10. Pick up a GPS

Your father always found it emasculating to ask for directions (right, because being lost and circling an area at 20 mph demonstrates virility). The old man isn’t too keen on GPS either, preferring the emergency-only concession of hand-drawn maps. If your itinerary begins and ends within the same calendar year, get a GPS. With most of these gadgets, you can adjust for shortest time or shortest distance suggestions. Some even warn of traffic snarls and detours. If you already have a GPS or your car has built-in navigation, check for system updates before you hit the road.